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Court to rule on vanity plate challenge

CONCORD, N.H. - The New Hampshire Supreme Court is deciding whether the state violated the free speech rights of a man who wanted "COPSLIE" on his licence plate.

The court is expected to rule Wednesday in the case of David Montenegro, who wanted the plate to protest government corruption.

The state prohibits plates that "a reasonable person would find offensive to good taste," but the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union argued that the law is unconstitutionally vague.

Senior Assistant Attorney General Richard Head argued that state workers were right to deny the plate, because the phrase disparages an entire class of people — police officers.

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